AN: Hello everybody! Tis Draks again, with a brand new story. This is my first PJO/HoO fanfic, and it stars (of course) my OTP- PERCABETH! So, this is a fic based of the Simple Plan song Everytime, a song that I love listening to when I feel melancholy, because it gives me hope. Hope you guys like it, and make sure you drop in a review telling me what you think!
Disclaimer: I do not own PJO/HoO or Simple Plan
It was 3 am
When you woke me up
Then we jumped in the car
And drove as far as we could go
Just to get away
Percy's POV
The incessant ringing of my cell phone woke me up at night. I flipped the light and looked around for the accursed thing. The wall clock showed the time to be three o clock. As in a.m. Wondering who it could possibly be, my fingers finally found the phone. Sleep was chased away by worry when I saw who was calling.
"Annabeth" I said.
"Percy" my best friend, Annabeth said. "Would you like to go for a drive?"
Annabeth never joked about something serious like this. I began pulling on clothes and ended the call with "There's nothing I'd like more, Wise Girl"
Barely a few minutes later, I pulled up beside Annabeth's apartment. She was standing outside waiting for me. Her cascade of princess blonde curls shone in the light of the street lamp. Her usually fierce gray eyes shone with excitement. Every time I saw this girl's face, it was like a punch in the gut for me.
"Thanks for coming Percy. I know you have your exams right now," she said as she got into the car.
"I have a couple of days break before the next one," I replied nonchalantly, gunning the accelerator.
"Good. Because I need to get away." she said.
"That's what I'm here for," I grinned.
We talked about our lives
Until the sun came up
Now I'm thinking about
How I wish I could go back
Just for one more day
One more day with you
Annabeth's POV
Percy was as good as his word. Soon we had left the city far behind. The roads were practically empty and his new car simply ate up the miles. I sank into the uber comfy seat of the Maserati Spyder and ran my hand along the glossy black paint.
"Is this a gift from Poseidon?" I asked. Poseidon is Percy's dad. He's a corporate hot-shot; constantly at odds with Percy. A few years ago, his parents got divorced because his dad was never at home. Not that Poseidon let a tiny thing like divorce get between him and his career.
"Yeah; more like a bribe," Percy shrugged, as we cruised down the desolate highway lanes. "He's hoping I'll come work for him once school's done, but I don't see myself in all that corporate politics. Although, it's wisest not to crib when a sweet ride is on the line. Isn't this a beaut? I've decided to call it Blackjack," he grinned at me. His sea green eyes crinkled with humor.
"Blackjack. I like it. You have style," I said.
"Why thank…" he began
"For a Seaweed Brain," I finished on a laugh.
"Annabeth," was all he said, shaking his head slightly.
Percy and I have been friends forever. Unlike the generation that precedes us. My mother Athena is Poseidon's business rival. After a few altercations as kids, we realized couldn't let our parents' prejudices get in the way of our friendship. And the rest, as they say, is history.
"So, how's that internship of yours?" Percy asked me. It was my ultimate dream to be a world renowned architect; much to my mother's approval. She had secured an internship for me at a prestigious architectural firm. Even though I resented her for getting me a job on her fame, I was loving the work and all the hands on experience.
"It's brutal. But it has its moments," I told him. As I began describing some of the projects I had been allowed to be a part of, I sneaked a look at Percy. He was nodding absent- mindedly; an old habit of his. He never understood squat of all the jargon I spouted, would never make an effort to listen to me, and yet he always asked me stuff like this. I punched his arm good naturedly. "You know what? Never mind"
"Gee, thanks" he said, part rueful, part happy.
As we sped along, we chatted about a whole host of things. I asked him how things were going at home with his mom Sally and her new husband Paul. He asked me about my dad, my step mom, my twin half brothers, Matthew and Bobby. I prodded him to tell me about his 8 month exchange program that he had gone for in California. He told me about all the people he'd met and names flew around my head- Reyna, Jason, Gwen, Dakota, Frank, Hazel. From the way he spoke, I felt like I knew them already. In return he asked how things were going at camp.
Camp Olympus was where we had first met. We went there every summer for almost a decade. For the past couple of summers, I had been attending camp as a counselor. He had missed out on this one because of his exchange program. I told him about the strawberry fields, the cheerful campfire nights, the plans to expand camp and take in more kids, all the exploits of our friends. We both felt silent for a while, steeped in all the memories.
Unknown to us, the eastern sky outside was changing colour; from the inky blue-black to a pale violet to grey streaked pink. We fell into companionable silence when the first streaks of orangey-red hit the horizon.
"You know what Wise Girl?" Percy asked me. Wise Girl is his nickname for me because he thinks I am a know-it-all. In return, I call him Seaweed Brain, well, because, he has kelp for brains. What began as a taunting tactic quickly grew into affectionate tags for each other.
"What is it Seaweed Brain?" I asked him.
"One day, when I'm like this buff, hot grandpa," he said, making me snort.
"Er, the words 'buff', 'hot' and 'grandpa' simply DO NOT go together," I tried glaring at him but my snickering was giving it away.
"Wait and watch Wise Girl. When you're wrinkled and toothless, you'll dream of me," he said, with what he supposed was a lewd wink but just made him look adorable.
"Eew. Seaweed Brain. Cut it out" I said. "You were telling me something?" I reminded him. He pulled up at the shoulder of the road and turned to me.
"Yeah. I was saying, someday when I'm old and taking stock of my life and all my successes and failures, I will remember this day," he said, with a curious expression in his eyes.
"You will?" I asked softly.
"Yeah. I'll remember this sunrise, one of the painfully few ones I've been up for. I'll remember our drive and all the conversation. More than anything I'll remember you, Wise Girl," he said, turning to me abruptly. He took my hand. "Annabeth Chase. My best friend."
"Ah" I felt something shift inside me and for the life of me I could not give that feeling a name. I slowly took my hand out of Percy's grasp.
"Percy…"
"Annabeth"
"I need to tell you something" we both said at the same time.
Percy shook his head like a dog ridding its ears of water. "Go on then, ladies first," he gestured.
"Alright," I said and for some reason I couldn't look at him straight in the eye. The reason why I was so excited to meet Percy, why I wanted this time alone with him, suddenly felt foreboding. Nevertheless, I decided to take my shot.
"Percy, Luke Castellan asked me out yesterday. And I said yes"
Every time I see your face
Every time you look my way
It's like it all falls into place
Everything feels right
Ever since you walked away
Left my life in disarray
All I want is one more day
Coz all I need
One more day with you
Percy's POV
Wait. I could NOT have heard this correctly. Damn, now I feel thankful Wise Girl hadn't let me go first. If I had confessed that I had feelings for her, it would have made me look like such a fool.
I supported my face in my hands, my thoughts in a befuddled mess. Luke. Luke Castellan. He was another fixture at Camp like Annabeth and myself. And of course, the one summer I skip out on camp, he moves in on Annabeth. Not that I had any claim on her before this. We were just friends right? Then I don't know what happened. Suddenly, I couldn't do without her anymore. Sure, I had a nice time on my exchange program in Cali, but her face haunted my thoughts every waking second. Just as I came to realize that I may be in love with my best friend, she pulls this stinker on me.
Realizing that I needed to show some sort of reaction for Annabeth, I gave a weak laugh. Pulled her into a shaky hug. The smell of her lemon shampoo was NOT improving my state of mind. I held on to her for a few seconds longer than strictly necessary. I pulled back and looked at her face; memorizing the features I knew better than my own. Those glorious curls. Those freakishly unnatural sharp eyes. Her mouth which was equally capable of a laugh and a disapproving scowl. But the strange thing about loving someone is you try being happy for them, no matter what.
"Annabeth!" I said, in a fake excited voice. "I cannot believe you wasted almost the entire night before you could tell me this! You and Luke? I mean… Wow" Dammit I sounded lame.
"Thanks Percy. Do you think I did the right thing?" Annabeth asked me cautiously.
No! No! It's the worst thing you could be doing! I love you! my mind was screaming. "Abso-frikkin-lutely!" I heard myself say in a voice so hearty, I almost cringed. "This requires some sort of celebration" I declared, revving up the ignition because I needed my hands busy to do something, anything.
My life would be a mess without Annabeth Chase. I could see that. Looking back, we spent so much time together, it was definitely not normal. Now she'd be with her boyfriend and I'd be like a third wheel.
"Percy?" Annabeth asked. "Are you sure you're ok?"
That was the moment Blackjack decided to act stubborn and just died. In the middle of nowhere.
When the car broke down
We just kept walking along
Till we hit this town
There was nothing there at all
But that was all ok
(6 months later)
Third Person POV
"So, yeah man, that's what happened" Percy was describing the moment he hit rock bottom to his friend Jason who he had met on exchange in California. Jason had come to town for some work and he and Percy had met up for lunch. Jason knew all about Annabeth. She was all Percy would ever talk about when they had first met. Somewhere Jason knew that his friend was in love with her, and he sympathized.
"That sounds like something so out-of-this-world," he shook his head sadly. "I was hoping you two would be going out by now," he admitted.
Percy looked up at him from his cherry Coke, which for some reason was blue, and said "Wait. You knew I liked her?"
"Pfft. We had a pool going. Frank's going to get some serious moolah when I tell him about this," Jason put on a careless air.
"Frank didn't think I'd be able to ask her out?" Percy asked incredulously.
"No, he freakishly predicted that someone would have already asked her out in your absence; and she, unaware of your feelings for her would accept. And…" Jason held up a finger when Percy interrupted, "Frank also said that you'd clam up and let her walk away into the sunset, oops, sorry, sunrise" he gave a quick wink and grin as Percy groaned "with her new beau. Now is that freaky or what?"
"Freaky" Percy admitted. Frank knew a bit too much.
"Anyhow, go on, I'm curious. How'd you deal with getting isolated in the middle of nowhere with a girl you liked, but who didn't reciprocate your feelings and a dead car?" Jason asked.
"Well, first I gave Blackjack a good kick in his hell-black ass," Percy said sourly.
"Kicking your car wouldn't have solved anything," Jason said calmly.
"You sound like her," Percy said, putting on a high pitched voice to imitate Annabeth, "Percy! Kicking your car isn't going to solve anything!"
Jason laughed and said, "You know, I have a feeling I'm going to like Annabeth. Continue."
"We began walking. And maybe some God up there likes me, because we weren't in the middle of nowhere. A town came up after like, 45 minutes of walking" Percy said, his shoulders drooping. "Those were the most awkward forty five minutes of my life. I did not know what to say and where to look. I think Annabeth was pretty mad at me. It was seven or so in the morning. Nothing was open. We parked our butts on a park bench and waited for a travel agency to open so that we could book a cab home. And then Annabeth says the most depressing thing anyone could have ever told me."
Curious, Jason leaned forward. "What did she say?"
"'I'm actually having a good time here Perce. I always seem to have a good time when you're around. Percy Jackson, you make everything ok. You're the best friend I could have wished for'" Percy face-palmed as he finished.
"Oh shit." Jason said
"Yep" Percy said
"She did not!"
"Yes she did!"
"She did not just friendzone you there!"
"She totally fucking FRIENDZONED me there!" Percy yelled, causing everyone at the restaurant to look at him.
The waiter came to their table and Percy's ears went red, expecting to be reprimanded. Instead the waiter clapped his hand on Percy's shoulder and said, "We've all been there mate" and everyone in the restaurant, including an abashed looking Percy and a bemused looking Jason, started laughing.
We spent all our money on stupid things
But if I look back now I'd probably give it all away
Just for one more day
One more day with you
In her best friend Silena's bedroom, Annabeth was sobbing her eyes out. Tears of sorrow, outrage and fury poured down her stormy eyes. Silena passed her a tissue and patted her back as she hiccupped.
"There now sweetie, you need to drink up some water," Silena said soothingly, handing Annabeth a glass.
"How could I have been so stupid?" Annabeth wailed.
"In all fairness, you probably couldn't have known that Luke was just lusting after you," Silena said.
"He seemed like he actually, genuinely liked me! Then I found out he was double timing with that skank Drew Tanaka!" her voice broke again.
"Luke's always been far too full of himself Annabeth. You know that. Girls are conquests to him," an edge had crept into Silena's voice.
"Did you… Were you and Luke…" Annabeth trailed off.
"Very nearly, but not. I was interested in him, and he seemed to be interested back. But before things got too serious, I met Charlie," she said, referring to Charles Beckendorf, her boyfriend of two years.
"I wish I'd find a love like you found Beckendorf" Annabeth sighed, wiping her eyes. She never moped for too long anyway. When she knew a situation was beyond her capability to change, she chose not to ponder on it. But her pride stung.
Silena was watching her. Everyone who knew Annabeth knew that she was in love with Percy Jackson, even though Annabeth didn't know it herself.
"Have you told Percy what happened between you and Luke?" Silena asked carefully.
"I've barely seen him in the past six months. He's been avoiding me for some reason" Annabeth looked troubled. Silena knew the reason of course.
"When was the last time you had a decent conversation with him?" Silena's romantic heart hoped there was no trouble between Percy and Annabeth.
"Well… It was the day Luke asked me out," Annabeth looked sad for a moment and then she shook herself and began telling her friend the whole story.
When she got to the bit where she told Percy what a good friend he was, Silena felt like she could strangle Annabeth. What level of dumb would one have to be to miss out on that supreme faux pas? Yes, she loved her best friend, who was one of the most brilliant people alive, but sometimes she could be so naïve! Silena didn't say anything and Annabeth continued.
"'Well, then finally the shops began to open, one by one, and Percy was just being is goofball self. I mean, he wasn't acting like anything was wrong that day
We entered this ridiculous shop that sold nothing but things that people probably don't need but end up buying anyway. We walked around that shop for ages marveling at silly stuff like Russian dolls and green lipstick. We weren't going to buy anything but…" she trailed off
"But?" Silena prompted
"Percy gave me this look. And it felt as if we both had the exact same thought in our mind. Even before I could say the words 'No Seaweed Brain!' he rushed off. So what was I to do? I joined in."
"Joined in what?" Silena was curious now.
"It was like a marathon. Who would blow up their cash on the silliest stuff in the shop before the other" Annabeth smiled almost wistfully as she recollected it. She dug out her phone and opened her gallery. "Check out these selfies" she passed the phone to her friend.
Within seconds Silena was doubled up in laughter on the bed. There was a picture of Percy pouting, wearing magenta lipstick and an electric blue feather boa. A picture of Annabeth pointing a finger gun at the camera in a Stetson and wearing a sheriff badge. Percy and Annabeth both closely entwined in that same blue boa while Annabeth sported a pair of neon orange glasses at least five times too big for her head and Percy wearing a pharaoh's headdress. Percy wearing… Silena had to look again, and look closely to make sure. Yep, Percy wearing an assortment of love beads and making a peace sign with a stoned look on his face to look like a hippie. Percy with an upturned fish bowl on his head, his green eyes looking wide and bug like behind the glass. Annabeth in a rainbow coloured Afro brandishing brass knuckles which spelled out "SWAG" on her left hand and "4EVA" on her right. Annabeth wearing an apron saying 'kiss the cook' and blowing a kiss to the camera.
"We went so broke Silena" Annabeth sighed and said something that sounded like 'typical Seaweed Brain' under her breath. "We had to book a cab back home on charge," she finished a tad sheepishly. "And, he gave me this. Right before he dropped me off outside my place" She took out a grey rubber mouse from her jacket pocket and dropped it in Silena's outstretched hand.
To both, Annabeth and Silena's surprise, Annabeth began babbling. "Isn't he adorable? I named him Nibbles after the Tom&Jerry character. I kept him in my pocket all this time and when Percy stopped talking to me, I would look at Nibbles and… and…" she dissolved in another fit of tears.
Silena allowed herself the luxury of a single self-satisfied smirk. So finally the penny drops
"I've been in love with my best friend, Perseus Jackson, all this while!" Annabeth said with a half laugh- half sob.
"And he's in love with you. That's why he kept his distance. He couldn't bear to see someone else with you" Silena said, pulling Annabeth in for a hug.
"He might have loved me, but that was almost 6 months ago. Do you still think he feels the same way?"
"Annie darling," Silena said, intentionally, because everyone knew there was nothing Annabeth hated more than being called Annie. "I KNOW he still feels the same way. Now go on and let him know what you feel"
Every time I see your face
Every time you look my way
It's like it all falls into place
Everything feels right
Ever since you walked away
Left my life in disarray
All I want is one more day
All I need
One more day with you
Percy's POV
After Jason left, I walked towards the park for some time alone.
Sometimes it sucks to be the bigger person. I missed Annabeth. Like crazy. It's like my life was one unending whirlwind of chaos when she wasn't around. She knew me inside and out. When she was around, I felt like no one and nothing could get me down; be it my dad or my grades. Driving Blackjack, who was as good as new, and ran better than he ever had, after that fateful day (selfish bastard), was also no fun anymore. Every time I did something new, went someplace I hadn't gone before, did something I'd never done before, I would pick up my phone, fully intending to text or call Annabeth but then I remembered she was with Luke.
I ached to be in the vicinity of her hair, its glorious riot of curls and smelling of lemons. I wished so desperately to just hear her say "You're such a Seaweed Brain". I just wanted to see her face, I needed her to turn to me and look at me the exact moment I will her to, because that's when I feel like everything is all right in the world. I'm a fool in love. A complete goner.
I must have been dreaming or maybe my intense thoughts of Annabeth actually conjured her up because the next thing I know, I heard her voice, the unmistakable humor in it, call out, "Hey Seaweed Brain!"
I whirled around and saw her. Annabeth. Her smile was radiant. I had to pinch myself. Nope, not a dream.
Now I'm sitting here
Like we used to do
I think about my life and how there's nothing I won't do
Just for one more day
One more day with you
Annabeth's POV
"Join you?" I asked him casually. There was no fooling him though. He got up and looked into my eyes.
"You've been crying" it wasn't a question. I sighed. This boy knew me better than I knew myself.
"Luke and I… aren't together anymore" I decided that today was not a day to go into the details of why I broke up with him.
"That just stinks Annabeth. I'm sorry," the arrogant shit's voice held remorse, but his eyes, oh his fabulous eyes, were joyful.
"You aren't in the least sorry Seaweed Brain, both you and I are fully aware of that" I tried to be condescending as we sat down.
"Well, ok, no, I'm not sorry. Luke's a self obsessed pig and you can do tons better than him Wise Girl" he said.
"Couldn't you have told me this six months ago?" I tried for outrage, but this was so typically Seaweed Brain. I knew that had he tried persuading me to not date Luke then, I would have done so out of sheer stubbornness. And Percy knew this better than anyone. So he had just allowed me to find my way.
"I missed you Wise Girl. I hope Nibbles took good care of you" Percy said seriously.
"Nibbles was the best. And the truth is that I've missed you too Seaweed Brain." As we both beamed at each other I wondered how to tell him the words that were straining to escape from me.
"Wasn't there something you wanted to tell me then?" I asked casually
"When?" Percy asked
"The day I said Luke asked me out" I said.
"Oh. That. Hm. Well. Maybe you need to go through your girls' 'mourning period' thing before you can hear this" he gestured. My heart grew warmer. His feelings hadn't changed. And he wasn't telling me because he didn't want to be a rebound.
"You wanted to say that you love me," I simply stated. He whirled around to look at me, mouth agape like a goldfish.
I had to laugh.
"Percy Jackson. I love you so much. There is nothing I want more than to spend all my time with you, pretending that your terrible jokes don't make me laugh and having the time of my life with you" I said, clutching his hand in mine. He just looked at me for a long while before he spoke.
"Annabeth Chase, I've loved you for a long time, I loved you when I thought you liked another guy, I still love you and I always will. I want to keep you safe and happy and make BRILLIANT jokes which you can pretend aren't funny. I needed to tell you this before but California was just no fun without you. All I could think of was just, well, YOU. Because when you're around, life will be alright…" he looked like he could have gone on a while but I didn't want to hear any more. I leaned forward and kissed him. When his lips met mine, I found my happy place
Every time I see your face
Every time you look my way
It's like it all falls into place
Everything feels right
Every time I hear your name
Every time I feel the same
It's like it all falls into place
Everything
Everything feels right
"You know what Perce?"
"What Annabeth?"
"Some day when I'm this sexy old grandma…"
"You're gonna make such a sexy grandma"
"Shush!"
"Whaaaaat? I was actually being supportive! Unlike YOU! You told me I couldn't be a hot, buff, grandpa"
"Ok, you're gonna make such a buff grandpa"
"Stop now you minx, you make me blush"
*slapping sound*
"Ow! Wise Girl!"
"You deserve it Seaweed Brain. I was saying, someday when I'm old, and taking stock of my life and all my successes and failures, I will remember this day"
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. I will remember the breeze and how it smells like pine needles. And how it makes your hair look like a crow's nest. Don't you ever run a brush a comb through these locks Jackson?"
"Nope. Brushes be allergic to me"
*sigh*
"And I'll remember our first kiss. Your lips taste salty. Why do your lips taste salty?"
"Er… Because I like eating salted chips?"
"I don't know how I fell in love with you Perseus Jackson. You are impossible"
"I love you too Annabeth"
-FIN-
AN: Ta-da! Well, that was just a side trip my mind took while I was supposed to be studying for my exams (scumbag brain). If you liked it, let me know; if you didn't like it, let me know anyway. But, whatever you do, NO HATING on the song! It's one of my all time favs!
On a side note, I feel very discouraged to finish up TDL and I am making no progress on it whatsoever. If and when I feel the urge to update, you folks will be the first to know!
Until next time then, take care everybody!
~Drakky28293~